Safe & Stable Homes Project
Director, Safe and Stable Homes Project
Cole serves as the director of AVLF’s Safe and Stable Homes Project. He oversees the Saturday Lawyer Program and the Standing With Our Neighbors Program, among others.
Before joining AVLF, Cole was a supervising staff attorney with Georgia Legal Services Program, where he represented low-income rural Georgians in a variety of civil matters. From 2005 through 2009, Cole worked for Lambda Legal, a national legal organization that works on behalf of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those with HIV. Cole received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Williams College and his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. He shares his home with two rescue dogs, three rescue cats, and husband.
Staff Attorney, Saturday Lawyer Program
Erica is the staff attorney for the Saturday Lawyer Program, AVLF’s flagship program. She spends her days recruiting and supporting volunteer attorneys who represent clients with wage and housing claims.
Previously, Erica was an associate attorney at Thompson, Sweeny, Kinsinger & Pereira, P.C. in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Erica brings a wealth of experience to the position, as she previously practiced in probate law, estate law, elder law, family law, real estate law, zoning law, and local government. In addition to her legal work, she interned at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Education, investigating discrimination claims. Erica holds a B.S. in psychology from Oglethorpe University and a J.D. from Mercer University.
Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors Program
Ayanna is a staff attorney with AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors Program. She works primarily in the Carver Cluster, working in Thomasville Heights Elementary School, Slater Elementary School, and Price Middle School.
Ayanna obtained her B.A. in history from Clark Atlanta University. After obtaining her degree, she worked in education for the next four years. Ayanna attended Emory University School of Law before working for the nonprofit Georgia Legal Services Program for seven years. In that position, she worked closely with low-income communities in North Georgia and tackled unemployment, public benefits, subsidized housing, domestic violence, and elder care.
Staff Attorney, Standing with Our Neighbors Program
Lauren is a staff attorney with AVLF’s Standing With Our Neighbors program. She is based in the neighborhoods of NPU-V and works primarily in Gideon’s Elementary School, Dunbar Elementary, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy.
Lauren previously worked at Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP and R. Gary Spencer, P.C. She received her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law where she was an active participant in various student organizations. Prior to practicing law, Lauren participated in the Teach for America 2010 Corps where she taught English, step, and dance.
When she is not working, Lauren enjoys visiting museums and participating in dance classes.
Staff Attorney, Equal Justice Works Georgia Housing Corps
Erik is a staff attorney with AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors Program, where he specifically focuses on housing issues in neighborhoods on Atlanta’s Westside.
Prior to coming to the AVLF, Erik spent 15 years in the financial services sector, where he most recently was a Senior Fraud Investigator with SunTrust Bank. His banking career includes time spent in Mortgage Sales, Branch Management, Bank Operations, and Corporate Training. Erik earned his J.D. from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. There he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Award and the Renata Turner Public Interest Scholarship. Erik also holds a B.S. in Marketing and an M.B.A. with a concentration in management. He resides in Gwinnett County with his wife and 4 children.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors Program
Christal embraces the saying “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” She is a Community Advocate with AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors program. She is based primarily in the Thomasville Heights neighborhood in Atlanta. This is part of AVLF’s work in Atlanta Public Schools’ Caver Cluster.
Prior to this role, Christal served as the Strategies Manager with Communities In Schools of Georgia, a dropout prevention organization. She received a B.A. in International Studies from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before pursuing a Masters of Public Administration degree from Baruch College in New York City through National Urban Fellows.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors Program
Nekesha usually goes by Kesha. She’s a Community Advocate for AVLF’s Standing With Our Neighbors Program based in Slater Elementary and Price Middle School. This is part of AVLF’s focus within Atlanta Public Schools’ Carver Cluster.
Previously a family advocate at an early childhood education center, Kesha worked with families experiencing homelessness to find resources that lead to family stability: jobs, legal help, childcare, certification programs, health clinics, and, of course, housing. Originally a native of southern California, she moved to Georgia in 2009 to pursue a degree in criminal justice and sociology from Clark Atlanta University. While juggling school, Kesha also ran cross country and track. She also holds a Masters in Social Work from Georgia State University.
Community Advocate, Standing with Our Neighbors Program
LaKeta is AVLF’s Community Advocate based in NPU-V, an area of town she and her family have lived in for ten years. She works in Dunbar Elementary, Gideon’s Kindezi, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy.
LaKeta has a deep passion for her local community and has served on the Annie E. Casey Community Investment Fund Board for three years. She brings over 13 years of advocacy for income-stricken populations and social work to the position. In her spare time, LaKeta enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Community Advocate, Equal Justice Works Georgia Housing Corps
Katrina always says, “Do what you can, while you can.” She is a Community Advocate based in NPU-V as part of AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors program. She works within Gideon’s Kindezi, Dunbar Elementary, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy.
Katrina lives in Pittsburgh, where she also works, and she has lived in NPU-V for the last 20 years. She is the mother of two sons and the proud Gigi of 3 grandchildren. Katrina taught in Atlanta Public Schools for 20 years before joining AVLF’s team. In her spare time, she loves to cook, bake, and shop. She lives with her wonderful husband and a dog named Snoopy who is the family hero. Spending time with her family is the most important thing in her life.
Community Advocate, Equal Justice Works Georgia Housing Corps
Shameka is a Community Advocate for AVLF’s Standing with Our Neighbors program. She serves the neighborhoods of Atlanta’s westside and is based out of Hollis Innovation Academy.
Born and raised in west Atlanta, Shameka has worked in social services for a decade. She also previously taught preschool for nine years. She received her B.A. from Fort Valley State University. When she’s not helping families in Vine City, English Avenue, and Ashview Heights, you can find Shameka trying new restaurants and working on Pinterest projects.
Volunteer Engagement Manager, Safe and Stable Homes Project
Matilde Davis is the Volunteer Engagement Manager for AVLF’s Safe and Stable Homes Project.
Originally from Gary, Indiana, Matilde moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University. She received her B.A. in African American Studies and Women Studies in 2009. After graduation, Matilde worked for five years with an asset management company that sells and maintains the integrity of government-owned properties. She is passionate about helping her community while working for a great organization. In her free time, Matilde likes to kickbox, read, and bake healthy treats.
Paralegal, Safe and Stable Homes Project
As the intake paralegal for AVLF’s Safe and Stable Homes Project, Kenisha serves as the first point of contact for those facing eviction, landlord/tenant, and wage claim issues.
Kenisha received her start in the legal profession in 2006 with Legal Services of the Virgin Islands before joining Atlanta Legal Aid Society in 2008. Kenisha has been part of the AVLF staff since August 2012. She majored in Legal Studies at Kaplan University.
Paralegal, Safe and Stable Homes Project
Christan is AVLF’s newest Safe & Stable Homes paralegal. In this role, she is tackling issues that incubate systemic poverty in Atlanta.
Christan has lived in Atlanta for 13 years and currently calls Vine City home. She brings almost 10 years of paralegal experience to this role, along with a wealth of community service work with organizations such as Care, Hands on Atlanta, and the Empowerment Council. On the weekends, you’ll find Christan at a food drive, community clean-up, or at a workshop to help organize Atlanta’s communities. She also enjoys writing poetry, taking Afrikan Martial Arts classes, traveling, and relaxing with friends.
Administrative Assistant, Safe and Stable Homes Project
Sharlena is a native of Colorado. She originally attended Metropolitan College of Denver and is now pursuing a degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University. Having lived in Georgia since 2013, she first became involved with AVLF as a paralegal volunteer with the Saturday Lawyer Program. When not assisting clients in AVLF’s housing programs, she enjoys going to the movies and cooking.
University of California President's Public Service Legal Fellow
Angelik is a UC President’s Public Service Legal Fellow with AVLF, where she works in both the Safe and Stable Families and Safe and Stable Homes projects. For the first half of her fellowship, she is focusing on domestic violence issues.
Angelik graduated from Winston-Salem State University magna cum laude with a B.A. in Mass Communications: Journalism. Angelik attended UCLA School of Law and received a specialization in critical race studies, a program designed to train public interest attorneys using an intersectional, client-centered advocacy approach. During law school, she clerked at the California Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Office Civil Rights Department, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division, and the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, Appellate Division. Angelik’s practice areas of interest include Education Law, housing, criminal justice/policing reform and poverty law generally, particularly how various systems work together to create systemic and generational poverty and oppression for vulnerable communities of color.
Safe & Stable Families Project
Director, Safe and Stable Families Project
Jamie is the director of the Safe and Stable Families Project, which includes the Domestic Violence, Family Law, and Guardian ad Litem programs.
Jamie currently serves as a member of the Fulton County Family Violence Task Force. Prior to joining AVLF, Jamie practiced family law at Holland Roddenbery LLC. She is the former co-chair of the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyer Division’s Family Law Committee. She obtained her JD from the University of Georgia School of Law, where she served on the Georgia Law Review. She received her BS in journalism from Ohio University. She went on to work in sports marketing for four years before attending law school.
Jamie is an active member of the Atlanta Bar Association and State Bar of Georgia and has been recognized for her contributions to the legal profession and survivors of domestic violence. Jamie is the recipient of the 2017 Family First Award from the Atlanta Bar Association Family Law Section, the 2017 Kurt Kegel Memorial Scholarship from the State Bar of Georgia Family Law Section, and the 2015 Kerry Harike Joedecke Atlanta Lawyer of the Year award from the Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers.
Staff Attorney, Safe and Stable Families Project
As the Safe and Stable Families Staff Attorney, Joel focuses on offering assistance and representation to survivors of domestic violence. He also manages the Safe Families Office within the Fulton County Courthouse, a walk-in clinic that is co-run with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence.
Prior to joining AVLF, Joel was the Supervising Staff Attorney at the Georgia Law Center for the Homeless. There he oversaw the organization’s legal program and provided representation to individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless or who were already experiencing homelessness. He provided counsel in numerous areas, including landlord-tenant law, family law, disability law, and wage and labor disputes.
He received his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law and his B.A. in International Studies and French from Berry College. Joel is a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, and is fluent in Spanish and French.
Staff Attorney, Family Law Program
Nilu is the Staff Attorney for AVLF’s Family Law Program. She helps survivors of domestic violence to create violence-free lives by assisting with custody, divorce, and child support cases.
Nilu graduated from Georgia State University and before heading to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Prior to joining AVLF, she worked as the legal advocate for Partnership Against Domestic Violence at the Safe Families Office. In that role, Nilu provided legal assistance and safety planning for survivors of intimate partner violence.
Legal Navigator, Safe and Stable Families Project
Cynthia is the Legal Navigator for AVLF’s Domestic Violence Program. She is based inside the Safe Families Office, which is co-run with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence. As the first point of contact within this walk-in clinic, Cynthia greets and directs survivors to the appropriate person or area for assistance.
Cynthia graduated with a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University in 2008. She also received an M.S. in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University in 2011. Cynthia has a strong background assisting survivors as they navigate the courthouse. She has worked in just about every courtroom in Fulton County as a Victim/Witness Advocate in the District Attorney’s Office and serving as a Judicial Case Manager for a Senior Judge. In her spare time, you can find her at a local spin class or reading the latest publications on balanced and restorative justice.
Program Coordinator, Safe and Stable Families Project
Lilli is the Program Coordinator for the Safe and Stable Families Project, which allows her to work within both the Domestic Violence and Guardian ad Litem programs.
You can often find her at the Safe Families Office inside the Fulton County Courthouse. When not assisting survivors of domestic violence to obtain temporary protective orders, she coordinates volunteer attorneys for each of the programs she works in. Lilli graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Georgia, where she minored in Sociology. When she’s not navigating the wild west of the courthouse, she likes to explore the world and read.
Social Worker, Safe and Stable Families Project
Camille Millar is the Social Worker for the Safe & Stable Families Project.
Camille graduated with a B.S. in Social Work from Georgia State University in May of 2013. She quickly became an Americorps Vista, volunteering in Spartanburg, South Carolina from 2014 to 2015. Through this program, Camille worked at an outpatient drug treatment center. She also worked directly with adults suffering from behavioral health issues, improving health outcomes by connecting people to various community resources.
She joined AVLF in 2016.
Fundraising & Administration
Executive Director
Marty has served as the Executive Director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation since 2001. He came to the Foundation after nearly 20 years in private practice in Atlanta. Marty had admired the Foundation since its inception. His strong commitment to serving underprivileged communities made the chance to promote equal access to civil justice irresistible.
Deputy Director
Michael became AVLF’s Deputy Director in January 2014. Previously, he served as the Director of Housing and Consumer Programs, managing a variety of programs that provide legal representation to low-income individuals. He litigated in the areas of landlord-tenant law, unpaid wages, debt-defense, and debt collection.
Michael came to AVLF after working as a staff attorney for the Georgia Legal Services Program, representing low-income Georgians in a variety of civil matters. Prior to coming to Georgia, Michael was a fellow at Public Justice, P.C., a national public interest law firm in Washington, D.C. He also spent several years working for change in the Texas state legislature. Michael, who holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He spent his final year of law school studying at Harvard Law School and clerked for the Honorable Catherine C. Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Baltimore before beginning his legal career.
Development Director
Libby is originally from Columbus, Georgia. She has served the Atlanta community for almost 17 years in various capacities. Previous to working at AVLF, Libby worked as the Director of Institutional Advancement at Atlanta Technical College. Prior to this, she raised funds for ovarian cancer research and served in fundraising and community outreach roles at Visiting Nurse|Hospice Atlanta. She was a communications assistant in the Office of Governor Roy E. Barnes after graduating from Clemson University with a B.A. in Political Science.
Digital Communications Manager
Katie handles all of the online communications for AVLF, overseeing the organization’s social media campaigns, newsletters, and website. She understands how to best adapt program narratives for storytelling, as she began working as a Program Assistant in the Safe and Stable Homes Project in March 2016.
A native of Atlanta, Katie moved back to the city after completing her master’s in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. She is passionate about community engagement and the city of Atlanta and recently completed a documentary film on the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Katie also holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on social media at @katiecarterking.
Office Manager
As Office Manager, Jon wears many hats inside the organization. He joined AVLF in 2013.
Jon received a B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1999 and has worked in nonprofits since 2000. He lives in Decatur, Georgia. In addition to his work, Jon also owns a small martial arts studio where he teaches martial arts to adults and children.
Development Coordinator
Diana worked with multiple nonprofits before becoming AVLF’s Development Coordinator. Most recently, she developed community partnerships and facilitated interviews for StoryCorps in Atlanta. Prior to that, Diana served as the interim Program Director of the Wren’s Nest House Museum, designing and overseeing program curriculum, including a one-on-one writing mentorship program.
In her role as Development Coordinator, Diana is tackling all of AVLF’s fundraising needs. She’s excited to be supporting dynamic programs that directly impact local families.
Communications Associate
As AVLF’s Communications Associate, Ashleigh helps Katie King with website content development, social media outreach, and various other forms of communication with our fiercely compassionate supporters. Ashleigh is ever-eager to share the remarkable stories of our clients, and the impact of AVLF’s staff and volunteers on our community.
Before joining AVLF, Ashleigh was a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey. She holds a Bachelor’s in English and Linguistics from the University of Georgia. She is also a performance artist, and can occasionally be seen performing movement pieces, poetry, and combinations of the two around Atlanta and beyond.
